Reflective material sensor

ABSTRACT

Described herein is a sensor for sensing reflective material. The sensor includes a housing with a transparent window and a sensor mount located in the housing and angled away from a housing wall. A radiation emitter is mounted in the sensor mount and emits radiation along an axis through the transparent window which has an amount of the reflective material located thereon. A radiation detector is mounted in the sensor mount and located adjacent the radiation emitter. The radiation detector is located to receive reflected radiation from the reflective material along another axis. The first axis is angled towards the second axis.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

The present is a continuation application of pending U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. US/13/507,956, filed Aug. 9, 2012 to which priorityis claimed under 35 U.S.C. §120, the entire contents of which are herebyincorporated by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present relates to material sensors, and more particularly to asensor for sensing reflective materials.

BACKGROUND

Precipitation sensors have been developed to determine the presence ofwater in its vapor, liquid and solid forms, but usually the sensor isimmersed in the material. Non-immersed sensing is a significantchallenge. One example of a non-immersed sensor is the Bosch vehiclewindshield rain sensor (Optical Sensor U.S. Pat. No. 6,376,824 byMichenfelder et al) used to operate windshield wipers. This sensordepends on the change in refraction of a reflected light beam againstglass when water is on the outer glass surface. However, it has poorsensitivity for snow, unless the glass can be heated enough to melt thesnow next to the glass. This would be difficult to facilitate withoutmaking the vehicle occupants too uncomfortable and initially, in coldenvironments, would not work at all until the heating reached anacceptable level for the sensor to be engaged.

BRIEF SUMMARY

We have invented a sensor that uses a reflective rather than refractivetechnique, and as such is very well suited to determining the presenceof winter precipitation such as snow, sleet, frost, ice or ice pellets.A radiation source such as a LED is oriented to radiate through atransparent material such as glass, at an angle that does not cause asurface reflection back to the radiation sensor. When a reflectivematerial such as winter precipitation is on the transparent materialsurface, a radiation sensor such as but not limited to a phototransistor, photo diode or light dependent resister adjacent to theradiation source senses the radiation reflection.

Accordingly, there is provided a sensor for sensing reflective material,the sensor comprising:

-   -   a housing having a transparent window;    -   a sensor mount located in the housing and angled away from a        housing wall;    -   a radiation emitter mounted in the sensor mount for emitting        radiation along a first axis through the transparent window, the        transparent window having an amount of the reflective material        located thereon; and    -   a radiation detector mounted in the sensor mount and located        adjacent the radiation emitter, the radiation detector being        located to receive reflected radiation from the reflective        material along a second axis, the first axis being angled        towards the second axis.

In one example, the sensor includes two radiation emitters each locatedon either side of the radiation detector, the two radiation emittersbeing mounted to emit radiation along their respective first axesthrough the transparent window towards a common focal point on an outersurface of the transparent window. The sensor mount includes two spacedapart cavities aligned along the respective first axes in which theradiation emitters are located, and another cavity aligned along thesecond axis in which the radiation detector is located.

In one example, the sensor mount is located at a junction between thehousing wall and a housing floor so that sensor mount is angled awayfrom the housing wall.

In another example, a baffle extends into the housing from the housingwall.

In another example, a temperature sensor is located on a lower surfaceof the transparent window.

In yet another example, a baffle wall extends into the housing from thehousing wall; and a temperature sensor is located on a lower surface ofthe transparent window.

In one example, the radiation emitter is a Light Emitting Diode (LED).

In one example, the radiation sensor is a photo transistor or photodiode located adjacent to the radiation emitter so as to detectreflected radiation.

In another example, the radiation emitter is disposed so that radiationis emitted through the transparent window at an angle that does notcause a surface reflection back to the radiation detector. A controlleris located in the housing and is connected to a variable resistor, theradiation detector, the radiation emitter and the temperature sensor. Acontroller is located in the housing and is connected to a fixedresistor, the radiation detector, the radiation emitter and thetemperature sensor.

In one example, the radiation detector is an integrated circuit having aphoto transistor, a photo diode or a light dependent resister locatedadjacent to the radiation emitter so as to detect reflected radiation.

In another example, the reflective material is winter precipitation. Thewinter precipitation is snow, sleet, frost, ice or ice pellets.

In one example, the reflective material is non-winter precipitation: Thenon-winter precipitation is reflective liquids, dirt, or particulatematerial suspended in liquids.

In one example, the sensor is mounted for use on motorizedtransportation including trucks, cars, motor bikes, recreationalvehicles, trains, or boats.

In another example, the sensor is mounted for use on solar panels andtrough reflectors.

In yet another example, the sensor is mounted for use on sidewalks,driveways, walkways, roads, roofs, or infrastructure projects.

In another example, the sensor is mounted for use with greenhouses,atriums, windows, freezer glass doors, skylights; on planes,helicopters; food services, freezers/fridges, spacecraft, buildings; forlandscaping such as grass and garden maintenance, crops; or for weatherdetermination, climate, ecosystem preservation; or for medicalapplications and storage of tissues and cells, sterilizations; or forfood preparation and preservation, and the like.

In another example, the sensor is used in solar applications forbuilding materials including decking, walls or shingles.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In order that the discovery may be readily understood, embodiments areillustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1A illustrates top view of a sensor;

FIG. 1B illustrates a side view of the sensor showing radiation emittedand radiation reflected;

FIG. 2 illustrates an exploded view of the sensor;

FIG. 3 illustrates the sensor's field of view.

FIG. 4 is diagrammatic representation of communication between sensorcomponents in one example of the sensor; and

FIG. 5 is diagrammatic representation of communication between sensorcomponents in an alternative example of the sensor.

Further details of the device and its advantages will be apparent fromthe detailed description included below.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring to FIGS. 1A, 1B and 2, there is illustrated generally at 10 asensor for sensing reflective material 12. In one example, thereflective material is winter precipitation such as, for example, snow,frost, ice or ice pellets. In another example, the reflective materialis non-winter precipitation such as reflective liquids, dirt, orparticulate material suspended in liquids. Broadly speaking, the sensor10 includes a housing 14, a sensor mount 16, two radiation emitters(radiation sources) 18, 20, and a radiation detector (radiation sensor)22. The housing 14 has a transparent window 24 which includes an uppersurface 26 and a lower surface 28 which is disposed towards the insideof the housing 14. The transparent window 24 has an amount ofaccumulated reflective material 12 located thereon. The sensor mount 16is located in the housing 14 and angled away from a housing wall 30. Theradiation emitters 18, 20 are mounted in the sensor mount 16. Theradiation emitter 18, 20 each have a first axis 32, 34. Radiation isemitted from the radiation emitters 18, 20 along their respective axes32, 34 towards and through the transparent window 24 until it contactsthe reflective material 12. The radiation detector 22 is mounted in thesensor mount 16 and adjacent and between the radiation emitters 18, 20.The radiation detector 22 is located to receive the radiation that isreflected back from the reflective material 12 located on thetransparent window 24 along a second axis 36. The first axes 32, 34 ofthe radiation emitters 18, 20 are both angled towards the second axis36. The two radiation emitters 18, 20 emit radiation towards a commonfocal point 38 on the upper surface 26 of the transparent window 24 andat a deviation from normal such that their radiation is not mirrorreflected to the radiation detector 22 from the upper or lowertransparent window surfaces. The deviation from normal is also not largeenough to cause all radiation to be to be reflected back into thehousing 14. The radiation detector 22 is directed to the radiationemitter common focal point 38 on the upper surface of the transparentwindow.

Referring briefly to FIG. 3, radiation emitters 18 and 20 and radiationdetector 22 have overlapping fields of useful radiation and detection tosense precipitation over area 37.

Still referring to FIGS. 1A, 1B and 2, the sensor mount 16 includes twospaced apart cavities 40, 42 which are both aligned along theirrespective first axes 32, 34 in which the radiation emitters 18, 20 arelocated. Another cavity 44 is aligned along the second axis 36 in whichthe radiation detector 22 is located.

As best illustrated in FIG. 1B, the sensor mount 16 is located at ajunction 45 between the housing wall 30 and a housing floor 46 so thatsensor mount 16 is angled away from the housing wall 30.

Still referring to FIG. 1B, a radiation baffle wall 48 extends into thehousing 14 from the housing wall 30. The baffle wall 48 may be used toblock external radiation sources such as the sun from the radiationdetector 22. A temperature sensor 50 is located on the lower surface 28of the transparent window 24 out of the radiation detector's 22 field ofview, which will not cause a false reflection to the sensor. The bafflewall 48 can be constructed of any suitable shape to define theboundaries to radiation window 52 through which both the radiation fromthe radiation emitters 18, 20 and the radiation reflected back from thereflective material 12 passes.

Each of the radiation emitters is a Light Emitting Diode (LED). Theradiation emitters 18, 20 are disposed so that radiation emitted throughthe transparent window 24 is at an angle that does not cause a surfacereflection back to the radiation detector 22.

Referring now to FIG. 1, FIG. 2 and FIG. 4, a controller 54, which istypically a microprocessor or equivalent device, communicates with avariable resister 56 or fixed resister 56A, the radiation detector 22,the radiation emitters 18, 20 and the temperature sensor 50 to achievethe reflective material sensing function. The controller 54 may belocated within the housing 14, or in another suitable housing. Oneskilled in the art will understand that other devices and circuitry suchas cabling, voltage supply, ground, signal buffering, usercommunication, controller programming, and the like may also beintegrated into the sensing function.

Referring now to FIG. 4, the radiation sensor 22 operates as anelectrical current valve, which permits higher current flow at higherradiation levels. A radiation signal 58 is produced by passing areference voltage 60 through the variable resister 56 and then theradiation detector. As radiation increases, the current flow through theradiation detector 22 increases, causing an increased voltage dropacross the variable resister 56. To allow for a wide range of radiation,the controller 54 modifies the value of the variable resister 56 toproduce a usable signal. For installations where the ambient radiationrange is small, an inexpensive fixed resister 56A may be used, therebyeliminating the need for the controller 54 to modify the resister 56Avalue. Alternatively, more than one copy of a fixed but different valueresister 56A and radiation sensor 22 may be used to broaden the sensedradiation range.

Referring now to FIGS. 1, 2 and 5, the radiation sensor 22 is anintegrated circuit 62 which includes a sensor such as a photo diode,photo transistor or light dependent resister and a means to autonomouslyconvert the sensor output to the controller 54 compatible input such asfrequency pulses.

Still referring to FIG. 4 or 5, the controller 54 activates one or bothof the radiation emitters 18, 20 when required to achieve the sensefunction. To assist in distinguishing between winter and non-winterprecipitation, the controller 54 communicates with the temperaturesensor 50 to determine whether winter precipitation is possible.

The sensor 10 functions in a wide range of ambient radiations, fromdirect sunlight to nighttime. It can sense winter precipitation or coldprecipitation on, for example, greenhouses, atriums, windows, freezerglass doors, skylights; on planes, helicopters, and motorizedtransportation including trucks, cars, motor bikes, recreationalvehicles, trains, boats and the like; food services, freezers/fridges,spacecraft, buildings, photovoltaic solar (conventional panels and nonconventional solar applications), trough reflectors; for landscapingsuch as grass and garden maintenance, crops; or for weatherdetermination, climate, ecosystem preservation; or for medicalapplications and storage of tissues and cells, sterilizations; or forfood preparation and preservation, and the like. When operated innon-winter conditions, the sensor 10 may also detect dirt on these typesof surfaces to support cleaning operations. With a durable transparentcover, it can also sense winter precipitation when installed insidewalks, driveways, walkways, roads, roofs, infrastructure projectsand the like. The sensor 10 can be used in solar applications forbuilding materials such as decking, walls and shingles.

While the sensor 10 can be used to sense winter precipitation, it iseasily applied to sensing other reflective materials such as, forexample, liquids, precipitates, contamination, some gases, suspendedsolids, and the like, and as such can be applied to manufacturing anddistribution processes for food, chemicals, fuels, and the like.

Operation

Referring now to FIG. 1 and FIG. 4, operation of the sensor 10 will bedescribed. Winter precipitation is sensed by determining the change inthe radiation signal 58 when the radiation emitters 18, 20 are “off”then “on”. Firstly, the controller 54 determines if winter precipitationis possible by communicating with the temperature sensor 50. If winterprecipitation is possible, then the controller 54 determines a referenceambient radiation signal 58 by first not switching on the radiationemitters 18, 20, then modifying the variable resister 56 until theradiation signal 58 is approximately 90% of the reference voltage 60.The controller 54 determines the reference ambient radiation bycomparing the resultant variable resister 56 resistance with internallystored data. If the fixed resister 56A is used, the controller 54determines reference ambient radiation by comparing the radiation signal58 with internally stored data.

Referring now to FIG. 5, an alternative operation of the sensor 10 willnow be described. Winter precipitation is sensed by determining thechange in the radiation signal 58 when the radiation emitters 18, 20 are“off” then “on”. Firstly, the controller 54 determines if winterprecipitation is possible by communicating with the temperature sensor50. If winter precipitation is possible, then the controller 54determines a reference ambient radiation signal by first not switchingon the radiation emitters 18, 20 then communicating with the radiationdetector 62.

Referring now to FIGS. 4 and 5, the controller 54 then turns on one orboth of the radiation emitters, depending on the ambient radiation. Athigh ambient radiation, both radiation emitters 18, 20 may be requiredto obtain an adequate change in the radiation signal 58. The controller54 then determines that winter precipitation is present if the radiationsignal 58 value has changed from the reference ambient radiation signalvalue by more than the combined effect of impurities in the transparentwindow 24 and expected dirt on the transparent window 24. The controller54 may also determine the type of winter precipitation based on thecombination of the temperature sensor 50 and the radiation signal 58change.

When used in non-winter precipitation mode to sense other materials, thetemperature sensor 50 can be eliminated, or used to distinguish betweenwinter precipitation and non-winter reflective material such asaccumulating grime.

Although the above description relates to a specific preferredembodiment as presently contemplated by the inventor, it will beunderstood that the WPS in its broad aspect includes mechanical andfunctional equivalents of the elements described herein.

We claim:
 1. A sensor for sensing reflective material, the sensorcomprising: a housing having a transparent window; a sensor mountlocated in the housing and angled away from a housing wall; one or moreradiation emitters mounted in the sensor mount for emitting radiationalong a first axis through the transparent window, the transparentwindow having an amount of the reflective material located thereon; anda radiation detector mounted in the sensor mount and located adjacentthe one or more radiation emitters, the radiation detector being locatedto receive reflected radiation from the reflective material along asecond axis, the first axis being angled towards the second axis.
 2. Thesensor, according to claim 1, includes two radiation emitters eachlocated on either side of the radiation detector, the two radiationemitters being mounted to emit radiation along their respective firstaxes through the transparent window towards a common focal point on anouter surface of the transparent window.
 3. The sensor, according toclaim 2, in which the sensor mount includes two spaced apart cavitiesaligned along the respective first axes in which the radiation emittersare located, and another cavity aligned along the second axis in whichthe radiation detector is located.
 4. The sensor, according to claim 1,in which the sensor mount is located at a junction between the housingwall and a housing floor so that sensor mount is angled away from thehousing wall.
 5. The sensor, according to claim 1, in which a baffleextends into the housing from the housing wall.
 6. The sensor, accordingto claim 1, in which a temperature sensor is located on a lower surfaceof the transparent window.
 7. The sensor, according to claim 1, in whicha baffle wall extends into the housing from the housing wall; and atemperature sensor is located on a lower surface of the transparentwindow.
 8. The sensor, according to claim 1, in which the radiationemitter is a Light Emitting Diode (LED).
 9. The sensor, according toclaim 1, in which the radiation sensor is a photo transistor or photodiode located adjacent to the radiation emitter so as to detectreflected radiation.
 10. The sensor, according to claim 1, in which theradiation emitter is disposed so that radiation is emitted through thetransparent window at an angle that does not cause a surface reflectionback to the radiation detector.
 11. The sensor, according to claim 6, inwhich a controller is located in the housing and is connected to avariable resistor, the radiation detector, the radiation emitter and thetemperature sensor.
 12. The sensor, according to claim 6, in which acontroller is located in the housing and is connected to a fixedresistor, the radiation detector, the radiation emitter and thetemperature sensor.
 13. The sensor, according to claim 1, in which theradiation detector is an integrated circuit having a photo transistor, aphoto diode or a light dependent resister located adjacent to theradiation emitter so as to detect reflected radiation.
 14. The sensor,according to claim 1, in which the reflective material is winterprecipitation.
 15. The sensor, according to claim 14, in which thewinter precipitation is snow, sleet, frost, ice or ice pellets.
 16. Thesensor, according to claim 1, in which the reflective material isnon-winter precipitation.
 17. The sensor, according to claim 16, inwhich the non-winter precipitation is reflective liquids, dirt, orparticulate material suspended in liquids.
 18. The sensor, according toclaim 1, is mounted for use on motorized transportation includingtrucks, cars, motor bikes, recreational vehicles, trains, or boats 19.The sensor, according to claim 1, is mounted for use on solar panels andtrough reflectors.
 20. The sensor, according to claim 1, is mounted foruse on sidewalks, driveways, walkways, roads, roofs, or infrastructureprojects.
 21. The sensor, according to claim 1, is mounted for use withgreenhouses, atriums, windows, freezer glass doors, skylights; onplanes, helicopters; food services, freezers/fridges, spacecraft,buildings; for landscaping such as grass and garden maintenance, crops;or for weather determination, climate, ecosystem preservation; or formedical applications and storage of tissues and cells, sterilizations;or for food preparation and preservation.
 22. The sensor, according toclaim 1, is used in solar applications for building materials includingdecking, walls or shingles.